Death Is But A Dream
by Hollow King Naruto
Summary: It truly is. And what we don't do in our dreams, we make up for them with reality. Takashi Komuro finds this out the hard way. Preparation has never been so crucial. I don't own HOTD.


**Death Is But A Dream: Chapter 1**

'_Death twitches my ear. "Live," he says, "I am coming."_' – Virgil

**XxX Chapter 1: Death Is But A Dream XxX**

Some people have called death a dream. Smart people. Old people. People who put those funny white, smoky sticks full of green stuff in their mouths. Mommy and daddy made me stay away from those last kind of people.

I've always been a bit smarter than most. I can think. I can pay attention. I can almost say complete sentences. I can write. I'm the only… um, – one, two, three – four year old I know who can do a lot of those things.

But Rei-chan can too. But she's – one, two, three, four – five. She's smart because she doesn't really need to count with her fingers like me. But I still think I'm a little smarter than her. Yeah, she's just a girl… girls _do_ have cooties, but she's nice. I don't think she'd try to infect me. She says she's my best friend. She says I'm her best friend.

That made me really happy. That's why we made that promise to marry each other. I think mommy and daddy were smiling when I told them about it.

But… I feel a little embarrassed… and scared now. The… the dreams – I think that's what mommy and daddy called them – I just had… they scare me a little. But mommy and daddy said that if I think I see of something important, I should write about it in my journal. I don't like it when people look at my journal… maybe I should hide it after I write down the stuff I dreamed. It seemed a little scary… and for some reason, my body keeps telling me to remember it, that the stuff is important.

Maybe it is.

_Takashi's Journal: April 4, 2000. Age 4. Dream #3._

_A lot of stuff was on fire. I think… the city was the same city I was in. There were some people on the street. A lot of scary, gray face people were slowly walking around the people who were in the center of the road. _

_A girl with hair the same color as Rei's who had bumps on the front of her body like mommy and held a long shiny stick was getting surrounded by a lot of gray face people. "Takashi!" That was what she yelled. I think she was scared. I felt really sad when she said that and scared and angry. _

_A boy with my hair color – I think the girl was talking to him – had a baseball bat in his hands. He was hitting the people that surrounded him. I'm not sure if hitting the people was good since mommy and daddy told me that hurting people was bad, but… I didn't really care for some reason. Am I bad? The boy shouted at the girl, "Rei! I'm coming!" _

_Takashi and Rei? Wow, they have the same names as us. Are they Rei and I? I'm so big! _

_There were two other girls and guy trapped in a circle of those gray face people. I'm starting to think those people are bad. One girl had pink hair. Wow! The only person I've ever seen with pink hair was this girl in the same class as me. I haven't really talked to her. I think her name… it's Saya? And the boy was rather big and had some glasses on. I don't know who he is. There was this really pretty blond lady who had really big bumps on her chest; maybe she needs to see the doctor? _

_The boy had a… I think it's called a gun. I remember daddy having one of those in his office and he told me never to touch it. He said it was _really_ dangerous. Why even have it if it was dangerous? The big boy kept using it and the gray face people kept falling back but there were a lot of them. "I'm out of ammo! And they just keep coming!" was what he said after the Older-Me shouted Rei's name. The other two girls with him didn't have anything in their hands._

_There was a purple haired girl who had a sword like from those samurai movies and she kept attacking the gray face people. I felt both scared and happy to see her. I didn't know why again. _

_But things didn't really turn out well. The big boy was grabbed by one of the gray face people and even though he tried to push them away, they bit him. Meanie! Biting people was bad! _

_The boy shouted really loudly and I felt _really _sad when he fell over. Was he okay? The pretty blond lady and the pink haired girl looked really sad and scared and just as the purple haired girl got to the three, they were also bitten. Oh no… _

_There were too many of them. There was a little girl who was… maybe four like me too? She was in the bus and crying. "I-I thought you were going to protect us, Takashi-oniisan!" I felt really sad. Did I promise I would protect them? I… I think I did. _

_I couldn't protect them anymore. The Older-Me got bitten and so did the purple haired girl and Rei. The last things I heard as the dream turned dark and I started to wake up were Older-Me and Older-Rei talking and crying. Older-Me shouted, "R-Rei! I love you!"_

_And Older-Rei had tears coming down her eyes and she said, "I love you, too, Takashi-kun!" _

_The purple haired girl said the same thing to me. So did the pink haired girl. They were all crying. I think the pretty blond lady wanted to say the same thing from the way she was crying too; the way they cried seemed the same._

_I felt really, really sad as I woke up. I… I loved all of them and they all loved me. And they were… dead. That's not right._

_I didn't want to see Rei, Older-Rei, Older-Saya, or any of those other girls, and the girl my age, cry. I don't like it when mommy cries… and daddy said never to make girls cry. So how can I make sure they don't cry?_

_Some part of me is talking to me. It says… "Protect them."_

_I think it's right._

_End Takashi's Journal: Dream #3._

XxX

I think the first dream I had about this type of thing was like the news. The news is boring, I guess, but… I feel really scared. Like… like this is the future. Maybe? I think…

I think it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Daddy? Mommy?" We were in the park and we were taking a walk. I was tugging on their hands and they looked down at me.

"Yes, sweetie?" Mommy's voice always sounded so nice and so were her words.

"Um… when people get sick, they have… diseases, right?" I was a little confused. How did doctors figure all this stuff out?

"That's right," Mommy said. She smiled. I think she thinks I'm smart. I think I am, too!

"So, um… who fixes those? I don't mean the doctors because I already know that. Aren't there any other jobs that fix diseases?"

"Well, aside from doctors, there are pathologists, biologists, and pharmacists. I don't really know all of the specifics, son. But why do you ask?" Daddy asked.

"Well, um," I paused. Mommy and daddy said lying was bad, but… something told me I shouldn't tell them. Wouldn't I get into trouble? But… I don't think they'd help me if I told them about my dream. "I-I was watching the T.V.," well, that's not really a lie, "and I was watching about things called… um, I think biological weapons." Mommy and daddy seemed a little mad at me, but I kept going. "A-And… I just wanted to protect those people who got hurt by those. It must really hurt to be sick. I really hurt a lot when I got sick. So… I wanna be a path-whatchamacallit!"

Mommy and daddy didn't seem all that mad anymore… I think they looked a little happy, but daddy crouched down next to me. "Son," he paused. I think he was trying to figure out what to say. "You're not to watch certain things on T.V. They can be scary and give you nightmares," he whispered. "But you can be a pathologist or a biologist or whatever. You have that choice. Mommy and daddy will help you." I felt a little happy at that.

"Sorry, daddy. Um, can I start now? I think that if I learn a little early, I can be really smart and really good at helping people and impress Rei-chan and the kids in school!" I started gushing at the end and mommy and daddy smiled. I _did_ want to impress Rei-chan but…

That wasn't the only reason. The news in the first dream said that it was some biological weapon disease-thingy that made all those people's mean and gray so… I want to fix that!

That reminds me… in that third dream, I had to fight those gray face people to protect the girls and that big boy, didn't I? Maybe I should learn now…

"Um, daddy?" He looked me in the eye. "Um… I want to be able to protect myself from bad people. I had a bad dream and I couldn't stop them. S-So… could I learn how to fight?"

"Taka-chan!" Mommy scolded. "If anybody bothers you, you're supposed to tell us or principal or the police! You're not supposed to fight them!"

Dad looked at me. He's an engineer, I know, but I remember he had some trophies of people kicking other people. I think he knows a lot of people who can fight. He looked at my eyes and I looked at him.

"I… I want to protect all of them," I whispered to him. "I want to protect you, my friends, all the people important to me. P-Please, daddy? I promise I'll work hard and everything!"

I don't think he really listened to me. He just looked at my eyes and nodded at me. "I have a friend or two who may be willing to teach you _if_ you promise me a few things."

Mommy looked mad, but daddy just looked at her and said, "Asuna… just let me talk to him."

"You're only four, Taka-chan. There's only so much you'll be able to do. So you've gotta promise me a few things."

"O-Okay, daddy!" I nodded. I won't let him down or anybody else!

"Right… you're going to need to make sure that none of this messes up your schoolwork, do you understand?" I didn't really mind school. I was actually pretty good at school, so it wouldn't really take away too much time.

"Uh huh."

"You also have to eat lots of protein and vegetables to keep strong. Yes, _especially_ the vegetables."

"…Fine." Daddy smiled at me. I think he was impressed by my big sacrifice. If I have to eat those _horrible_ green vegetables to protect Rei-chan… then so be it!

"And you have to get enough sleep. That means going to bed when we tell you to."

"Okay, daddy." I didn't like all of this… but if daddy thought it was important, then it probably is.

"And most importantly… when you learn how to fight, promise me you will _only_ use it in self-defense or to protect others." His voice got really soft when he said this.

I gave him a determined look. "Promise, daddy! Pinky swear!" Just like I did with Rei-chan.

He smiled and said, "Alright."

XxX April 5, 2000 XxX

Daddy and I took the train to reach the dojo that he said we were going to. I think the person he said we were meeting was going to teach me… Krav Maga? That's a weird name.

He told me about the teacher on the train. "I met Rafi-san when I was abroad. You see, Taka-chan, I was born here in Japan, but I went out of Japan for an education. I got an education to become an engineer in the United Kingom, but with our military background, I decided to enlist in the military. I fought for the IDF against the Lebanese. I was actually present when the ANO tried to assassinate the Israeli ambassador; being the hothead I was, I got mad and fought for the Israelis. That's how I met one of my best friends, Rafi-san. We were pretty good friends after a year of fighting, after which I got out of the war and returned to UK and finally got my degree. He's a pretty stern, disciplined guy, but he was better at Krav Maga than I'd ever be. He's also a nice friend. He fought longer than I did and we only got back into a rather occasional contact about a year ago."

I didn't really understand most of what daddy said, but apparently he was a soldier! That was so cool!

When we arrived, I saw his friend. He was pretty big! He had large muscles, but he was not really like those super big muscle guys on T.V. More like… the karate masters or Batman!

"_Shalom_, Akagi," Rafi-sensei said. His voice was really deep and tough!

Daddy laughed at gave his old friend a handshake, "Good to see you again, Rafi. This is my son," he gestured at me. The tall man's eyes turned to me. He had a bit of a beard, too.

"He's looking to learn Krav Maga from an Expert recognized by the IKMF like you."

There was a bit of a rumble coming from him and I think that was him laughing!

"He certainly looks like you. But so young?"

I had to tell him why I wanted this! "I… I wanna protect myself and my friends! So teach me, sensei!"

He laughed again. "Very well… I'll teach him. But this is a dojo. I'll give you a discount old friend, but you'll still need to pay for his education." He then looked at me. "If you're worth my time and can pay attention, perhaps you'll be an Expert too by your teens."

"It's no problem. I'll let you two get started. Do you know how long you want to stay, Taka-chan?" Daddy asked me.

I gulped as I looked at the big former soldier. I have to be brave and strong! "As long as I can, Daddy!"

"Let's see… that would be an Afternoon to Evening Session. It lasts three hours. What time do you get out of school, little one?"

Three hours? Man, that would be long. But I have to do it! For Rei-chan!

"One o'clock, sir!"

Rafi-sensei laughed again. "Very well. I'll let you have time to play with your friends, so we'll go from half-past three to half-past six. If you go every day except Sunday, there is an additional discount for the Full Training Package."

"Please, daddy?" I asked. I know it'll be tough, but I can do it!

"I'll have to work extra, but alright son. If you really want it, then you can do it." Yes!

"I'll write up a contract," said Rafi-sensei.

This is gonna be great!

XxX April 9, 2000 XxX

This… is horrible. I had no idea training could hurt so much!

But I _have_ gotten faster… maybe stronger… I'm not sure. I just really hurt all over. It's starting to hurt whenever I do stuff with mommy or daddy or Rei-chan.

But I think it'll be worth it.

XxX March 14, 2007 XxX

I'm a lot stronger now. I'm smarter than Rei-chan and Saya-chan now, too. I decided I'd start being her friend a month after I started with Rafi-sensei and she's pretty nice to me!

I still don't get why she occasionally get pink like her hair around me.

But I've grown a lot. I think I'm the strongest eleven year old in my school. Especially since I've trained with Rafi-sensei for seven years now. He's like a nice uncle. I've just become a Graduate grade user of Krav Maga and I think that's pretty good for a kid who's not even in the military. I'm pretty sure Rei-chan is a bit jealous I'm that good. Speaking of Rei-chan, she and I made a new friend named Hisashi.

He was in those dreams, too. I kind of flinched a little bit around when we first became friends, but not anymore.

I don't know why I killed him in that dream. I think it was because he was… I think a zombie, based on the way he looked and the movies I've seen. I felt a little horrified when I didn't feel sad I killed him especially since a small part of me felt a bit glad.

I've still kept making journal entries. I haven't told anyone about them. But I've kept my promise to myself. I'm pretty darn good at biology and chemistry and I've been studying them in my spare time. People call me a nerd, but I think I've impressed Rei-chan, Saya-chan, and Hisashi with how smart I am. So I don't really care what they think. I'm a top grade student.

I know I didn't really decide to do this, but I've kinda decided to tinker around with some of dad's tools with him. He seemed pretty happy I liked using his tools and fixing things so he started teaching me when I was nine.

I'm not really perfect but I'm happy to say that after two years, I can fix a broken microwave. Dad says that, when I'm older, he and I can fix a vehicle that'll be what I drive. I don't mind being a grease monkey. If what I've seen from my dreams is true, then I'll need every survival skill I can get.

Maybe I should invest in camping. And other sports. I mean, in all those dreams, I seemed to have a fondness for a baseball bat.

Boy, life is going to be busy.

XxX

"I know this isn't strictly the hand to hand combat we normally practice in Krav Maga, but if you're willing to, I'd willing to spare an extra hour to teach you how to use weapons, Takashi," said Rafi-sensei.

"Really? That would be pretty cool." I'm really enthusiastic, though I don't show it. Maybe I'll learn how to use a gun and a sword just like dad and my grandpa and my other great-ancestors did.

"Excellent. But you're going to need to be _very_ careful," Rafi-sensei said, stressing the very. I'm not an idiot.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, sensei. What will we learn how to use?"

"We'll start small and work our way up: first knives and other close quarters weapons, then a gun, and finally a sword. If you're willing to do some work in the summer and save up, we can purchase your very own weapons and ammo. But, er," he said, growing a bit sheepish, "don't tell your mom." Yeah, she could get pretty scary about the training Rafi-sensei and I did.

But still, my very own weapons? Sweet!

XxX July 19, 2011 XxX

I'm sixteen now, as of last week. I've been doing odd jobs and work over the summer for a while now. I've saved up a lot and I've gotten some weapons I've trained in.

First, I learned how to use a few different types of knives from Rafi-sensei. Of course, he made learn first how to take care of them and maintain them and as soon as I learned how to, we got to the good stuff. I'm almost an Expert like him so we can dedicate more time to learning how to use those weapons. I've learned how to turn ordinary knives into weapons, too, so if I'm caught without a normal combat knife or a trench knife, I can turn something into one.

After about two years of learning to utilize blades in fighting and even learning how to throw them, we moved onto guns. Those are a little bit harder to work with since they require a lot more maintenance and care. I've learned how to use pistols, revolvers, and some different types of rifles.

Of course, mom doesn't know a thing.

I'd like to learn how to use long-range rifles, like sniper rifles, but Rafi-sensei said we'd learn after learning how to use shotguns.

The biggest problems with these weapons were the weight and kickback, but I've taken up weightlifting to become stronger so that one problem would be mitigated. I'll just have to deal with the recoil. I can't wait to learn how to use a sword, though, and get some more guns. It's really strange for a kid to want to learn how to use weapons, I know, but I haven't forgotten those horrible nightmares.

I've let my hair become a bit wild and spiky. I'm a lot taller now than when I was just a kid. I'm a little over six feet now and I'm pretty defined from the exercises Rafi-sensei has made me go through. I'm in a couple of sports that _really _eat up some time and make me go without much sleep after doing homework and studying. I'm looking to do an internship with American biologists and scientists abroad next summer. I've just got to keep up my grades.

I have been, by the way. Teachers really like how good I am at science and so do I. I've become pretty accomplished and have won a few awards for my school for my knowledge of biology, chemistry, cell biology, virology…

Well, you get the picture.

One thing I've noticed. Rei-chan and Saya-chan…

They're _really_ hot.

I don't know when that change happened, but they're just really good looking all of a sudden. I'm starting to think I like both of them… maybe Rei-chan a bit more since she has been my friend for a long time.

And since I wanted to become a bit more used to medical procedure, since the internship was a biomedical study with American scientists, I started volunteering in the nurse's office.

_Holy fucking crap_.

The bombshell blonde from my dreams. Shizuka Marikawa. _She was gorgeous_.

A little airheaded, I guess, but _man_ did she make me a bit hot under the collar. She's pretty nice, though, so she's a good friend despite that she's older than me. She acts as though she were still in high school (technically, she kinda was), so that helps.

The sports I've joined are baseball, swimming, cross country, and kendo (to prepare myself for a real sword), the last of which is technically a club. That's where I met the last beauty from my dreams. The purple haired champion, Saeko Busujima. She's just as scary as she is sexy and that is saying something.

I don't really talk to her since she scares me and the last time I tried, she kinda got mad at me and beat my ass in kendo.

Finally, there were two other people in my dreams and I'm shocked at how accurate they seem to be. Kohta Hirano was one of them. I remember him helping me and protecting me in those dreams. He was being bullied about his weight by several of the class bullies.

I remembered my promise to my dad and decided I wouldn't break it by beating their asses. I was sent to the principal's office for fighting them and taking them down pretty hard; Krav Maga was pretty vicious, after all. Rei-chan and Saya-chan seemed pretty worried and got mad at me for putting myself into danger. It was kinda nice to have them care about me, but I felt bad for making them worry. Hisashi just gave me a congratulated me for making myself out as the school badass and gave me a high five.

But I gained a lifelong friend in Kohta. He was truly grateful and I liked him right away. He's a cool dude. We exchanged information on guns and he seemed pretty happy there was another kid in the class like him. I was pretty happy, too. He knew a lot more than me on those weapons.

I remember the second dream I had and I think back to it with a scowl. Shido-sensei. He seems like a bit of a perv. And he's a creep. In the dream, he'd sacrificed one of his _own students_ for god's sake that he could've saved! What teacher who isn't an evil asshat does that? Not to mention Rei-chan disliked him intensely, and I couldn't help but get in on her grudge against the man.

I've been saving up money. I've already gotten my own customized weapons. Rafi-sensei says he gets them on discount from an old Russian comrade. So I bought two combat knives with holsters, three PB silenced pistols (_Pistolet Besshumnyy_), and an M4 Carbine outfitted with a silencer and a telescopic scope; currently, I'm saving for a VSS Vintorez built with an integral suppressor and the additional parts for a VSK silenced sniper system with telescopic sight and night vision. Those are all the guns I want and once I get them, I'm only buying ammo and maintenance kits. He's getting collapsible kinds so hopefully I'll be able to take them around with me. Maybe I should start carrying my own rucksack like him.

Wow, I'm practically a child soldier, aren't I?

I've spent a lot of time with dad over the years. After fixing lots of different things, I think I'm going to fix up a motorcycle with him. I've been taking up a part-time summer job at the mechanics place and I've learned how to fix up cars, vans, jeeps, and even buses. But motorcycles?

They're cool. That, and I'm pretty sure Rei-chan would be impressed.

**SLAM!**

"Urgh!" I coughed. What the hell, I'm walking home from the bus stop and I'm getting mugged now? Suddenly, I don't think Rei's safe walking here on her own anymore. I'll start walking with her _after_ I deal with this guy.

He's holding up a knife threateningly and he looks twice my age. Homeless, maybe? Still, he can't just go around mugging people _and_ I just got my salary. I guess I've gotta take him down.

"Your money or your life, kid!" he said, but I was already in motion. He saw me move and swung his knife in a sideways slash.

After so much training with Rafi-sensei, I can't help but think his form is pathetic. I step back and send a palm strike at his extended elbow.

**SNAP!**

The break is audible and he screams as he whips out a knife with his other, nondominant hand awkwardly in an upward cut. "You little brat!" he screamed.

I'm running on pure instinct and adrenaline as I bat his hand away with another palm strike.

**SHLUNK!**

_What._ His hand… I-I batted it forward…

The knife is sunk into throat. He's… he's gurgling… his eyes…

_I can see him die._

He fell to the ground and I… I think I'm shaking… I know I'm trained but… I'm… I'm not ready for… where's that screaming coming from?

Oh.

It's me.

XxX

The police came by. Dad and Mom did, too. I'm shivering. I… I killed a guy. _I'm a murderer_. How… how can I go back to school? How can I look Rei-chan, Saya-chan, Kohta, Hisashi, how can I look _any _of them in the eye anymore? How can I look at Shizuka-sensei, for god's sake, a _doctor_? I'm… I'm evil.

"No, son, you're not." That was the police officer. Was I thinking aloud? "Yes, you are. Now, explain to me what happened." I babbled about going to work and coming back from the bus stop on the way home during the night. I babbled about the guy attacking me and me attacking him. And I couldn't help but babble about how I felt right then.

Dad and Mom held me tight. "I've taken lives, you know," Dad whispered. "It's not easy fighting a war. I had PTSD and your mom and I had trouble with that until we got married and I finally loosened up. Taking a life isn't easy," he said before he looked me in the eye.

"But _it was self-defense_. You _only protected yourself_. You were unaware what would happen. _It was an accident_. You're not a murderer, son. You're just the victim of unfortunate circumstance."

It was embarrassing, me being older now and tougher, but I couldn't help but cry with my parents as that night faded away in a blur of tears and blood. I washed my hands raw when I got home, and when I kept going, my dad stopped me and gently said that all of it washed off of my hands. He and mom tucked me into bed afterwards. I wondered one thing before I fell asleep.

Was it going to be this painful and hard to use a gun on someone, zombie or otherwise?

I was met with nightmares that evening. I was pretty sleepy when I went to training that day. Rafi-sensei talked to me a bit about it and we went on training quietly, as though life was still the same.

It wasn't.

I'd killed somebody and nothing could change that.

When I next saw my friends, their reactions varied. Kohta, Saya-chan, Hisashi, and Rei-chan all met me at the mall. I was given a day off from work because what happened. They'd already heard about what happened on the local news.

Kohta and Hisashi both gave me a quiet pat on the back and a whispered, "I'm glad you're okay," though Kohta did give me a hug. He was like a younger brother to me.

Saya and Rei… they leapt at me and started crying about how worried they were. I felt bad that I made them cry again but I promised I wouldn't get myself into trouble anymore. "And I'm walking both of you to the bus stop." I tried to sound stern, but it came out more concerned, more protective like how I normally felt about them. I think they were blushing. They both looked pretty red.

Though I did have to ask them something…

"You guys don't hate me because I'm a murderer, do you?" My voice was softer than I'd have liked it but I was truly concerned. I didn't want to lose my friends.

"Baka," Saya-chan said, her eyes tearing up slightly again, "You're our Takashi-kun. You're not evil and you didn't mean to kill that man."

"If anything, you're a hero, man," Hisashi added, "Who knows what would've happened if anyone else had walked down the road you were on?"

"We don't hate you, Taka-kun," Rei whispered softly, "You're our friend. You're my best friend. Nothing will change that."

Kohta only nodded. I think he realized everybody said what he wanted to. But man…

I'm really happy. I'm really relieved my friends don't hate me.

And Rei…

That soft smile hers that she's giving me right now… I think I love it.

Saya's glimmering eyes and how they're always so concerned about me… how she always cares about me…

I think I love them.

XxX September 9, 2013 XxX

Rei's eighteen and I'm seventeen. I've _really_ saved up. Especially with the full scholarship I earned early. I've got a repaired motorcycle now. I've gotten a second rifle and a second sniper rifle. And I'm an Expert at Krav Maga. Rafi-sensei says I've graduated, but we still train together and he teaches me survival stuff. I'm one of the strongest students at school. I'm a star baseball player, a pretty good swimmer, and second best on the cross-country and kendo teams. I'm only beaten by Saeko-chan at Kendo and we have some pretty tough bouts.

I've gotten a sword, too. Saeko looks at it enviously since all she really uses is a wooden one. But then again, given how good she is at using it, I'm pretty certain a real sword is overkill.

When I came back to school after nearly getting mugged, I was kind of ostracized by my class. People whispered things about me behind my back and all but my closest friends didn't really talk to me anymore.

I think the oddest thing about that was, when I returned to Kendo club, Saeko-chan started looking at me differently… and we became friends. Even now, I still think it's weird.

Why are so many of my friends so sexy, anyway?! Saeko's still a bit scary, but _man_ she's a bombshell. Still, I don't think she's really interested in any relationships. I still kinda like her as well.

Well, at least Shido-sensei was scared from then on.

Shizuka-chan… her reaction was the most surprising. When I came in to volunteer at her office, she leapt at me with a flying hug. She didn't cry, but she told me how worried she was. She felt like coming to see me and giving me a hug, but she didn't know my address. That was the cutest thing, her expression when she said that since her face got a little pouty.

Is it wrong to like your hot sensei in that way? I sure hope not. Because given how many girls I'm starting to like, I think my life's going to be a little complicated.

Speaking of girls I liked… after this summer, Kohta confessed to me that he liked Saya-chan. That was good for him, I guess.

But Rei…

The past few years, I really did have feelings for her. Well, her, and all the other girls in my life. But… I just don't have the guts to tell them. I didn't have the guts to tell her. So when I steeled my resolve at the end of school last year… I just couldn't tell her how I felt about her. I left for my paid internship the day after in America. I worked with some pretty good pathologists and virologists and biologists and… well, you get the idea. They were pretty impressed. I even published a paper in their journals. But even though, I always kept an ear out for possible biological weapons, I didn't hear anything. Shame.

I got back the day before school started. I told myself that, after spending so long away from Rei, I'd tell her that I had feelings for her.

The next day, which was four days ago, I found out Hisashi and Rei had been dating for over a month.

I… I was stupefied. I was shocked. I was angry, almost above all.

But I was really, really sad. I didn't get to tell her how I felt. I shouldn't have been mad; Hisashi would make her happy, but…

I wanted to be the one she looked at with those eyes.

Therefore, to avoid seeing them, I started skipping class. Which leads me here. Right now. Where I am is the rooftop and I've my really large rucksack with my guns and countless cartridges (ever since there was a war, I started buying tons of bullets. With the tons of surplus bullets, I got them cheap), my combat knives strapped to my thigh, hidden by my pants, my schoolbag with all my books, and the katana I took out from my locker. I always took them to school with me and carry them around no matter how big or heavy they are.

Now… it's a period where I have Rei with me. I'm just blowing off some steam by practicing some kata with my blade. I'm alone up here…

But I've got this bad, nagging feeling.

What's today's date?

A scream rang out from the front of the school. I ran to the fence immediately.

…

…

…

Oh shit. I remember.

It's Doomsday.

**XxX End Chapter XxX**

**Hey, guys. I'm Hollow King Naruto. Now, I know I've said I'm an avid fan of Naruto and have been trying to complete Fishcake Chronicles… but I started liking Highschool of the Dead. **

**And I just HAD to write a fic. I've made Takashi slightly Narutoesque, I know… but I'm trying to go a bit by profile and a little by canon.**

**Now, I've barely watched HOTD. Once I see more of it, I'll write more chapters. But dang, I really like it. **

**This is just an individual project. Something I like. I'll try to update this as much as I can. But no guarantees. **

**I've really left not much room for dialogue with this sort of first-person monologue over the years by Takashi.**

**Anyway, read, comment, all that junk. Tell me what you think. I know not many people like HOTD but I'd really like it if a lot of people read this. I put a lot of work into it.**

**Thanks, everyone. Happy New Year and Happy Holidays.**

**King, signing out.**


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